


Hideous

by Ormspryde



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Blood, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 09:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7569082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ormspryde/pseuds/Ormspryde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A dead man looks at himself in the mirror.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hideous

**Author's Note:**

> A bit of something I wrote after I slapped together a fanart. Inspired by a combination of that and the Empty Mask manga, together with my own apparent desire to see my favorite ToV character suffer.

Schwann stares at his reflection, unblinking.  The blue-green eyes that stare back at him remind him of nothing so much as a corpse's - hollow and clouded and _dead_.

  
He should be feeling something, he knows.  What, exactly, that something might be, though, he can't quite bring to mind.

  
His cold eyes flick to the spot of dried blood on his right cheek.  He's washed his hands, cleansed his sword - and yet, this one stain has escaped his otherwise thorough attentions.

  
His expression changes not one hair as he raises a hand, placing the tips of his first two fingers carefully over the red spot.

  
He remembers the heft and swing of his blade; he remembers the screams.  His sword has thirsted that night, has drunk deeply of the blood of the Commandant's enemies.

  
He puts his hand down; lets it hang limply by his side.  Is he now nothing more than an assassin?  Than a blade, to be wielded at the Commandant's whim?

  
Than a _walking corpse_ , animated by this _thing_ in his chest?

  
His expression _still does not change_ , even as the tears begin to flow down his cheeks.  All he can hear is the screaming, and all he can see is the blood - _and all he can feel is the hideous stillness in his chest where once a heart had beaten_.


End file.
